June 17, 2006	Saturday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 20, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

MAMARONECK (New York), June 16: Britain's Colin Montgomerie, still chasing his first major victory, upstaged Masters champion Phil Mickelson by taking a one-shot lead in the US Open first round on Thursday.

The 42-year-old Scot birdied three of the last 10 holes to complete a one-under-par 69 on a difficult, blustery day at Winged Foot Golf Club where the average score was 75.98.

Mickelson, bidding for a third consecutive major title, had to settle for a five-way share of second place after scrambling to a 70.

Level with the American left-hander were compatriots Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez and Britain's David Howell, who got to four under with four holes to play before slipping back.

Several of the game's biggest names faltered in the testing conditions, among them world number one Tiger Woods who battled to a 76.

Making his return after a nine-week break following the death of his father, Woods struggled with his putting and accuracy off the tee, setting the tone for his day by bogeying the first three holes.

Twenty-two players carded 80 or worse and the first-round scoring average was the highest at a US Open since the 77.8 at Shinnecock Hills in 1986.

Montgomerie capped his round with a 25-foot birdie putt at the par-four 17th.

Twice champion Woods equalled his worst opening score in a major as a professional, having also carded a first-round 76 at the 2003 Masters.

World number three Vijay Singh and Canada's Mike Weir were among a group of eight on 71 but twice champion Retief Goosen battled to a 77 while his compatriot Ernie Els, also a twice winner, returned a 74.

First round scores:

69 -- Colin Montgomerie (Britain) 69.

70 -- David Howell (Britain), Jim Furyk (US), Phil Mickelson (US), Steve Stricker (US), Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain).

71 – Geoff Ogilvy (Australia), John Cook (US), Kenneth Ferrie (Britain), Graeme McDowell (Britain), Vijay Singh (Fiji), Mike Weir (Canada), Fred Funk (US), Kevin Stadler (US).

72 – Woody Austin (US), Philip Archer (Britain), Billy Mayfair (US), Adam Scott (Australia), Thomas Bjorn (Denmark), Craig Barlow (US), Peter Hedblom (Sweden) , Jason Dufner (US), Scott Hend (Australia), Stuart Appleby (Australia), Stephen Ames (Canada), Bart Bryant (US), Bo Van Pelt (US).

73 – Mark Hensby (Australia), Rod Pampling (Australia), Kent Jones (US), Robert Allenby (Australia), Fred Couples (US), Zach Johnson (US), Padraig Harrington (Ireland), Jeev Milka Singh (India), Tim Herron (US), Skip Kendall (US), Darren Clarke (Britain).

74 – Charl Schwartzel (South Africa), John Holmes (US), Andrew Morse (US), Ian Poulter (Britain), Angel Cabrera (Argentina), Rory Sabbatini (South Africa), Paul McGinley (Ireland), Rich Beem (US), Jeff Sluman (US), Camilo Villegas (Colombia), Steve Jones (US), Ernie Els (South Africa), Taylor Wood (US).

75 – Michael Campbell (New Zealand), Toru Taniguchi (Japan), Stewart Cink (US), Arron Oberholser (US), Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain), Nick O'Hern (Australia), Richard Green (Australia), Andrew Svoboda (US), D.J. Trahan (US), Keiichiro Fukabori (Japan), Lucas Glover (US), Henrik Stenson (Sweden), Duffy Waldorf (US), Jay Haas (US), Lee Williams (US), Billy Horschel (US).

76 – Chad Collins (US), Ryuji Imada (Japan), Chris DiMarco (US), Charley Hoffman (US), Allen Doyle (US), Corey Pavin (US), Maarten Lafeber (Netherlands), Michael Harris (US), Dean Wilson (US), Brandt Jobe (US), Chad Campbell (US), Scott Verplank (US), Rocco Mediate (US), Davis Love III (US), Trevor Immelman (South Africa), Ben Hayes (US), Tiger Woods (US), Sean O'Hair (US), K.J. Choi (South Korea), Stephen Gangluff (US), Greg Kraft (US), Peter Jacobsen (US).

77 – George McNeill (US), Nathan Green (Australia), Carl Pettersson (Sweden), Kenny Perry (US), Charles Howell III (US), Jyoti Randhawa (India), Paul Casey (Britain), Tim Clark (South Africa), David Berganio Jr (US), Shaun Micheel (US), J.J. Henry (US), Justin Leonard (US), David Duval (US), Retief Goosen (South Africa), Jonathan Moore (US), Alex Coe (US), Tadahiro Takayama (Japan), Ben Crane (US), Todd Hamilton (US), Edoardo Molinari (Italy), Tag Ridings (US), John Mallinger (US).

78 – Dustin White (US), Ryan Baca (US), Jay Delsing (US), Sergio Garcia (Spain), Ben Curtis (US), Tom Lehman (US), Mark Brooks (US), Brad Fritsch (US), Nick Dougherty (Britain), Ted Purdy (US), Luke Donald (Britain), Niclas Fasth (Sweden), Matt Kuchar (US), Jason Allred (US), Travis Hurst (US).

79 – Tommy Armour III (US), Joey Sindelar (US), Stephen Woodard (US), David Toms (US), Chris Nallen (US), Steve Lowery (US), John Koskinen (US), Tom Pernice Jr (US).

80 – Olin Browne (US), Mark Calcavecchia (US), Brett Quigley (US), Oliver Wilson (Britain), Bob Estes (US).

81 – Patrick Nagle (US), Madalitso Muthiya (Zambia), Nick Price (Zimbabwe), Mathew Goggin (Australia), Nicholas Thompson (US), Shingo Katayama (Japan), Tadd Fujikawa (US), Graeme Storm (Britain), Michael Derminio (US).

82 – Lee Janzen (US), Rob Johnson (US).

83 – David Oh (US), John Rollins (US).

84 – Ryan Posey (US), Andy Bare (US).

85 – Dillon Dougherty (US).

86 – Phil Tataurangi (New Zealand).—Reuters